Would you like to meet new people?  Find out more about the SJT Initiative?  Make a difference in your community?  Make a bit of extra money? 

The SJT Initiative is looking for SJT residents to participate in an information-gathering workshop on the morning of Saturday, August 9th.  Participants will be compensated for their time.

To find out more, please see the full posting here.

• Recreation Progam Assistants
• Media Production Assistants
• Office Administration/ Newsletter

If you know of any interested youth/ students, please have them contact Rubaiyat Karim, the Co-ordinator of St. James Town Summer Jobs for Youth at 416-504-5516.

*The Wellesley Institute encourages grassroots organizations working in the St. James Town neighbourhood to post community events and other advertisements of community interest on this website. The Wellesley Institute however does not endorse or control the contents of these announcements.

Who:  Banyan Tree and SJT youth aged 14-29
What:  Hands-on earth building workshop
When:  Saturday July 19th, all day; meet at 8:30am
Where:  Henry Weisma’s farm; bus leaves from 240 Wellesley at 9am sharp!

The workshop will include facilitated instruction from Mr. Henry Wiersma, a local carpenter and home builder that is now one of Canada’s only compressed earth natural builders.

About Banyan Tree Community Initiatives
Banyan Tree Community Initiatives is group of young community builders, designers, educators, engineers, and other professionals that work collaboratively to advocate for and participate in youth training and youth-led projects that work toward green, affordable housing solutions. (www.lift.to or www.banyanyouth.org).

Register Now! Only days left!  Check out the flyer here:  Green Building WorkshopCall 416.996.2942 or email info@banyanyouth.org to register or for more information.Transportation, lunch and snacks provided as well as prizes for participation.

When:  Saturday, July 19th from 9:30am to 1pm.

Where:  Welllesley Institute, 45 Charles St. E., Suite 101

The SJT Initiative needs participants from last year’s Photo Voice and Community Mapping participants to participate in a follow-up workshop in Concept Mapping.  For more information, please email sjt@wellesleyinstitute.com, or phone 416-972-1010 x262. 

When:  Wednesday, July 9th from 7pm to 9pm

Where: Council Chambers, City Hall, 100 Queen St. W.

The City of Toronto will hold two public meetings in July to give Torontonians the opportunity to talk about poverty and how it can be reduced. Councillor Joe Mihevc, Chair of the Community Development and Recreation Committee, announced today that Community Conversations on Poverty Reduction will be held on July 9 and 10.

The public sessions come at a time when the Government of Ontario is conducting consultations on the development of a provincial poverty reduction strategy. The Province has said it intends to introduce its strategy by the end of the year.

“Because poverty affects us all, the City of Toronto feels it is essential to involve residents in a public discussion,” said Councillor Mihevc. “These Community Conversations will give people an opportunity to talk about their experience of poverty and to give us their views on what we should be doing as governments and communities to reduce it.”

The public meetings will be part of the City’s consultation process that will invite residents to express their views on poverty reduction. A website www.toronto.ca/povertyreduction will be launched soon to allow people to share their views online.

Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. In the past three years, Toronto has won more than 70 awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. Toronto’s government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents.

When:  Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 7:30 PM

Where:  Medical Sciences Building Auditorium, Room 2158
1 King’s College Circle, University of Toronto (northwest corner of College Street and University Avenue)
(TTC: Queen’s Park subway station or College streetcar)

Fact: There have been a near-record number of new homes built in Toronto in recent years.

Fact: Only a tiny fraction of them are truly affordable to low and moderate-income households.

Fact: Municipalities across the United States are using inclusionary zoning to create affordable homes.

Panelists:
David Rusk, the leading U.S. authority on inclusionary zoning (and the former mayor of Albuquerque) Adam Gross, a lawyer with Business and Professional People for the Public Interest in Chicago.

Moderator:
Christopher Hume, Toronto Star urban affairs columnist

 All are welcome!

Spring 2008 Update

We had a great time at the Wellesley Institute table - telling people about the SJT Initiative, running a free raffle, handing out flying rings, and painting faces.  Thanks to all the volunteers and Wellesley Institute staff who came out to run all of these activities!

Click on the photo below to see more photos of the Festival.

Community Voices, a Forum & Expo to display the results of the Photovoice and Community Mapping projects, was held at Rose Avenue School on March 20th. 

Thank you so much to the participants and volunteers for all of the time, hard work and ideas you put in to make our Community Voices Forum & Expo such a success.  And, thank you to everyone who came to see the exhibition - it was a great event!

Take a photo tour of Community Voices, or view a slideshow. 

Read more about the Forum & Expo.

Read people’s responses to the Forum & Expo.